Top 10 Best Boxing Headgears

We all can agree that quality headgear is one of the most basic fighting equipment pieces.

Whether you are a complete beginner at combat sports, or you are a professional boxer, having the best boxing headgear can make a big difference in the quality of your workouts.

Now, let’s speak some truth about head guards. Usually, it won’t protect your brain from being rattled.

However, a quality good headgear will protect you from injuries like nasty cuts, bruises, scrapes, and swelling.

Doesn’t matter if you are sparring or competing, our top reviews will help you choose the right product for you!

Scroll down to view the comprehensive reviews and things to look for when choosing your headgear.

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Best Headgear for Boxing Reviewed

Ringside Competition Headgear

• Featuring 100% genuine leather construction inside and out
• A top quality laminated foam system
• The latest protective advancements.
• Contoured design
• USA Boxing approved

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Ringside is one of the top brands in the market of fighting equipment. They made this headgear according to the USA Boxing Specifications. Therefore, this is one of the best headguards for sparring and amateur competition.

There are two variants of these products – with or without cheeks. It is your choice to decide which one you want. However, we recommend going with the no-cheek option, especially if you are planning to compete.

Because the cheeks can interfere with your vision without providing much more protection.

Another good thing about this headguard is that it features a double velcro at the back of the head, securing a perfect fit.

As far as quality is concerned, this headgear is made from real leather which makes it an extremely durable product.

Because of the affordable price, durability, protection, and quality, this is one of the best headgears for competition and sparring on the market!

Title Gel World Headgear

• Gel lining
• Multi-layered design
• Fully padded cheeks, forehead, ears, and back
• Hook-and-loop closure
• Full-face style with added chin protection
• 100% genuine leather
  

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Another great product in our list of top headgears.

Title World Gel Full-Faced Headgear is a very high-quality, protective headgear. Due to the cheek padding, this headgear is not suitable for competition because they usually don’t allow headgear with cheeks.

However, it is a perfect piece for training and is one of the most preferable, by fighters, headgear.

There aren’t some fancy designs or some exceptional look in this headgear. The design is simple and you can see only the Title Boxing logo on the forehead and the GEL logo on the cheek.

Something notable about this headgear is that it has a lot of ear padding, which is something that is not very common when it comes to head guards.

Often, when you buy a new piece of leather equipment, you need to break it in. It is not different with the Title Headgear.

The first time you put it on, you will probably feel that your head is squeezed in and you will feel uncomfortable. However, to avoid this during sparring, try to wear the head guard before the actual training and just squash it a little bit to loosen up.

Overall, a perfectly good, high-quality, and durable product at an affordable price. If you are looking for a headgear only for sparring – this is one of the best you could choose.

Title Platinum Training Headgear

• Incredibly lightweight
• Lightweight-suppression layered inner foams
• Extra-long lasting synthetic leather cover
• Fully adjustable hook-and-loop fastening on the back of the neck and under the chin
• Moisture-wicking

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Another product from Title. The Platinum Training Headgear is a well-made, well-padded and easy to adjust head guard.

Unfortunately, this headgear is not suitable for boxing competitions, again, due to the cheek pads. That means you can only use it for sparring and if you plan to compete you have to go with another product.

Overall, the gear is pretty comfortable and sturdy. However, it does limit visibility, which is a pretty common thing amongst headguards with cheek protection.

It is a great and affordable product for the casual athletes, but if you are looking for something more professional and suitable for competition continue to read.

Venum Challenger 2.0 Headgear

• Ultra lightweight
• Triple density contoured foam
• Flexible two way Velcro closure

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Venum has been developing fighting equipment since 2008. With their unique style and quality products, they quickly established themselves as one of the leading fighting gear brands.

Venum Challenger 2.0 Headgear is a quality piece of equipment suitable for beginner to intermediate fighters, particularly for those who like the flashy Venum style.

The headgear comes one-size fits all with a two-strap Velcro system behind the head. It has a chin bar and a pretty good cheek coverage. Therefore, it is not suitable for competitions but is very comfortable for sparring.

There is also an alternative version with a velcro chin strap instead of the chin bar.

The outside of the Venum Headgear is lined with a high-quality PU leather(Venum call it “Skintex”)  rather than a real leather. However, it feels like the quality is really top-notch and has a very nice smooth texture.

The internal fabric is also good, have a nice feeling, and doesn’t retain too much sweat.

When talking about headgear, the most important thing is protection.

This headgear has very thick padding(over 1.5 inches in some places) for maximum protection. If you are looking to buy a headgear or hard sparring – this is a perfect choice.

However, this comes with a downside – the head guard itself is pretty bulky and may hinder your vision.

Overall, a very quality and affordable piece of equipment made by Venum. For the quality, look, and protection, the price is definitely worth it.

Venum Elite Headgear

• 100% Skintex leather construction
• Great durability
• Ultra lightweight
• Specific face design for perfect protection and vision
• Triple density foam for ultimate shock absorption
• One size fits all
• Flexible two way Velcro closure
• Handmade in Thailand

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Venum Elite Headgear is one of the best product from the company. This is one perfect piece of equipment suitable for all fighters.

The headgear itself is pretty lightweight(definitely more lightweight than most of the other headgears) which allows quicker and better movement.

It has an extra protection in the ear area which is obviously a good thing, and also, is a little bit smaller.

The outer shell is made from the same Skintex leather, which is known for its durability and good qualities. As we already mentioned, it is very nice to touch and have a soft pleasant texture.

It has the same two-way velcro closure like the Challenger and provides a very good comfort fit, no matter how big or small your head is.

Venum made the head guard open at the top of the head which is a very good thing because it allows air to enter, therefore minimizes the sweating.

The design is simple and very good looking, available in 10 different color options.

Also, it is made in Thailand which is a well-known place for manufacturing quality equipment.

Overall, one of the best headgear so far, suitable for people who want top-notch quality and are ready to pay the price for it.

Hayabusa T3 Headgear

• Wide field of vision 
• T-Cross closure 
• Antimicrobial lining inhibits bacteria
• Crush Zone core for ultimate shock absorption and force dispersion
• One size fits all

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Hayabusa is a leading manufacturer of fighting equipment and a worldwide popular brand. They established themselves as a leader in various combat sports like Karate, MMA, and Kickboxing.

Their T3 series includes the best products that the company produces and the T3 headgear is no different.

Hayabusa really did their best, and succeed, with making a lightweight and protective headgear without being too bulky. This design offers better head movement, better vision, and faster reactions.

Hayabusa T3 headgear has a T-Cross closure system which is very secure and provides a perfect and comfort fit.

The outer shell is made from their famous Vylar engineered leather which has proven quality and durability. In addition, they add mesh ear holes and open top design for maximum air circulation, preventing sweating.

Overall, a perfect combination of lightweight and protective headgear.

Cleto Reyes Classic Training Headgear

• Manufactured with cowhide
• Latex foam padding
• Three-point anatomical fit
• Hook and loop closure
• Chin strap and lace crown area adjustment
• Allows a wide-angle vision

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If you are even a little bit familiar with boxing, then you know the Cleto Reyes brand. Cleto Reyes is a brand that is worn by champions all over the world.

Their equipment is widely recognized and they make top equipment for advanced and professional fighters.

One thing you need to be aware when buying Cleto Reyes(in fact, any Mexican fighting gear) is that it needs to be broken in. If you want to avoid headaches, try to squeeze the headgear or wear it for small intervals at home.

The head guard fits very good and tight due to the velcro straps in the back. Also, the design is very slick and doesn’t make your head like a big target.

The padding is thick and stiff with enforced protection on the cheeks, providing the best protection possible for your face.

As we already mentioned, equipment made by Cleto Reyes is widely used by professionals all over the world.

They deliver top-notch quality, maximum protection, and guaranteed durability.

If you are a professional fighter or you just want to train with professional fighting gear, then Cleto Reyes is the brand for you.

See also: Best Boxing Gloves [Reviewed]

Winning Headgear Fg5000 

• The most protective headgear
• Super lightweight
• Extremely durable
• Soft and nice feeling
• Amazin cushioning
• 33% lighter than the old model (from 21oz to 15oz)
• Handmade in Japan

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Winning is one of the most exclusive boxing brands in the world.

Winning Fighting Sports World Equipment is established in 1937 and their equipment is all handmade and imported from Japan.

By many professional fighters, Winning is considered as a top 3 brand, only rivaled by Grants Worldwide and Cleto Reyes. These 3 brands are no doubt the best when it comes to boxing.

Which one you choose depends entirely on your style and if you want more stiff padding(Cleto Reyes) or soft(Winning).

Winning Fg5000 is probably the most protective headgear you will ever get your hands on. It has a full face coverage except for the eyes. Therefore, it is perfect for hard boxing sparring.

However, if you are MMA or Kickboxing fighter you may struggle to see low kicks with this headgear because of the nose bar. That is why we wrote the next review which is a more open headgear from Winning, again.

The FG-5000 is for fighters whose competition is coming up and they don’t want to take even the smallest risk of getting a black eye, a cut, or a broken nose right before the fight.

Overall, probably the best protective boxing headgear on the market. If you want maximum protection, lightweight and soft feeling, then this is the headgear for you.

However, buying such an expensive piece of equipment is an investment and if you are not at least an amateur fighter, then you will be fine with much cheaper products.

Winning Headgear Fg2900

Choosing the Best Boxing Headguard

In this section, we will explain how to choose headguard for sparring, what are the most important thing and what to look for when buying a headgear.

Type

Open-face headgear

This is the headgear that is suitable for most of the amateur competitions. It has an open face, no chin bar, or a face bar.

The pros are obvious – lightweight and high visibility. However, the minus is that this is the least protective headgear of all types.

Headgear with cheek protection

This is the middle option with a good combination of protection and visibility. However, it is not suitable for competitions.

Headgear with a chin/face bar

This is the most protective headgear of all types. However, this interferes the vision a lot especially if you are doing kickboxing or MMA sparring because it doesn’t allow you to see the kicks.

Fit

The fit is the next most important thing you should look when buying a headgear. The one you buy shouldn’t compress or pressure your head in any way.

The best headgear is when you don’t even notice when you are wearing it.

However, keep in mind that a lot of the product needs to break in and then they will feel a lot more comfortable.

Visibility

What is the point of protection if you can’t see the strikes coming at you?

Visibility is one of the most important things when buying a headgear. Make sure that the head guard you buy doesn’t hinder your vision in a way that you won’t see strikes coming at you.

Generally, the less padding, the better the visibility is. That’s just the way it is.

That doesn’t mean that you should go with the least padded headgear.

Try to find the balance.

Weight vs Protection Ratio

The difference between an excellent headgear and okay one is the amount of protection it provides vs the weight.

Generally, the more protection one piece provides, the heavier it is.

However, you will often find that the most expensive head guards are very lightweight while maintaining maximum protection.

A perfect example of this is Winning – they are known for their very lightweight headgear and also that it is one of the most protective head guards on the market.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do you clean the headgear?
A: Usually it is made from a leather or a leather-like material. That means you can easily clean it with just a wet wipe.

Q: How to break in boxing headgear?
A: You can just squeeze it or you can put some weights on the one side for 30min and then change the side.

Q: Does headgear protects your nose?
A: It really depends on the product. If it has a face bar, then yes. If it’s open-faced, then no.

Which is the Best Boxing Headgear?

Choosing the best boxing headgear is not an easy task. However, we hope that after reading this comprehensive buyers guide you already made your choice.

All of the products we reviewed are great and deliver quality and protection. Make your choice based on what are your preferences, how much protection you want, and how big of an investment you are willing to make.

If you have any questions, comment below and we will answer them.

Now, go and get your headgear!

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